Tiny coffin beside Khamenei's: 14-month-old granddaughter honoured at funeral

As thousands gathered in Iran for its late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's funeral ceremonies, one of the most striking images showed the coffin of his 14-month-old granddaughter displayed alongside his in Tehran.The infant was among several members of Khamenei's family killed in the Israeli airstrike that struck in the opening moments of the war on February 28. Also honoured during the ceremony were Khamenei's son-in-law, his eldest daughter and the wife of Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.Earlier Iran Embassy in India had also paid tribute tribute to the infant saying, " Martyr Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani. The young granddaughter of Ayatollah Khamenei, the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, who was blessed with martyrdom alongside him."Khamenei's flag-draped coffin was placed at Tehran's Grand Mosalla, where senior Iranian leaders, religious figures and foreign dignitaries paid their respects. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian were among those who attended.Footage aired by Iranian state media showed mourners dressed in black gathering for prayers, with many throwing scarves and other personal items towards attendants to be brushed against the coffin, a traditional practice in Iran believed to confer blessings.The coffin was later draped with a red flag bearing the words "Ya Hussein," a Shiite expression commemorating the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein. The flag, brought from the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala, Iraq, also symbolises the blood of someone unjustly killed and a call for vengeance in Shiite tradition.Authorities have announced that Khamenei's funeral will continue over several days, with his body set to be taken to multiple cities in Iran and neighbouring Iraq. Tehran is expected to witness widespread road closures and security measures as thousands of mourners participate in the ceremonies.Meanwhile Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Iran's Supreme Leader, is likely to skip the funeral over safety concerns.Catch the latest world news and top headlines. Download the TOI App.